The American Bookbinders Museum

Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosUnited States2-10 Employees

The American Bookbinders Museum (ABM) tells the story of the book. We present Western bookbinding's art and craft from a hand process through 19th-century mechanization by preserving the tools, equipment, and practices of bookbinding. We do this to promote a deeper understanding of the impact of book production on the American Experience.

The American Bookbinders Museum tells the story of how books are made and their importance to society. Why tell this story? Because books played an important role in the middle class's social and economic development, organized labor, and literacy. To put it more succinctly, a book is "…the most powerful object of our time." Keith Houston, author of The Book. 

The only museum of its kind in North America, the American Bookbinders Museum explores and celebrates the craft, culture, and bookbinding tools from its earliest forms to the Industrial Revolution's innovations. We showcase bookbinding from the 1600s through the early 1900s, emphasizing the mechanical and business innovations of the Industrial Revolution. The American Bookbinders Museum is where book-lovers come to learn about books. 

By engaging in events, programs, and making original objects, visitors have fun while learning more about books and making them. Tours describe bookbinding and the influence of guilds, labor unions, publishers, and women's presence in binderies.

Any questions? Contact the museum at info@bookbindersmuseum.org

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am - 4:00pm

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